Wrong Number
by River Jaeger
Summary: His brain short-circuits, and his heart stops beating for a moment. The text message is simple. [I think you have the wrong number] For the prompt "I sent a selfie of myself in the tub to the wrong number and you responded back with another selfie. Holy shit you're really attractive." With Raleigh and Mako


For the prompt_"I sent a selfie of myself in the tub to the wrong number and you responded back with another selfie. Holy shit you're really attractive."_

_**Dedicated to Confabulatrix and their Santa on tumblr. Thanks for the encouragement, this would have never had left my documents folder otherwise.**_

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><p>Raleigh really can't believe he's doing this.<p>

But he's a man of his word, and he wasn't looking to change that now.

He contemplated the bubbles, meticulously making sure that there was an abundant amount covering just the right areas.

He was a man of dignity too, and like hell was he going to send a nude pic.

Raleigh takes a deep breath and takes the picture. He checks it, decides it's half-decent and not totally humiliating. He does work out, after all. And it covers enough that he can still look Tendo in the eye later.

He finishes his bath quickly after that, even though he's more used to showers Raleigh can admit that baths aren't too bad. The water is warm, soothing to tense muscles, and the bubbles inspire a boyish joy in him.

He had just finished clothing himself, pulling a sweater over his head, hair still wet, when he finally sends the picture. He checks it one last time, just to be extra sure that he isn't showing anything more than absolutely necessary, then with a final resigned sigh he sends it to Tendo.

He looks around his small living room, feeling listless and contemplating whether he should watch a movie or take a nap as he waits for a reply.

Raleigh knows that Tendo is going to laugh at him-good naturedly of course-and probably tease that he should be a model. He knows this because it wouldn't be the first time.

The phone vibrates, Raleigh picks it up, expecting a smug message from Tendo informing him that the terms of the lost bet are fulfilled.

He unlocks the screen with a simple swipe of a finger.

His brain short-circuits, and his heart stops beating for a moment. The text message is simple.

[I think you have the wrong number]

"Shit!" He looks around his empty apartment, as if he could glean some sort of inspiration from the room. But the living space offers no solutions. Raleigh lets himself fall onto the couch heavily, staring at the screen.

The contact says "Tendo" but looking at the number he sees that it's wrong, Tendo's number doesn't have any zeros in it.

How the hell had that mix up happened? And why now?

What does he do? Apologize. His brain provides as his heart pounds against his ribs. Apologize and hope they don't use it for blackmail, whoever they are. Hope it wasn't a random minor. And God does he start panicking at _that _thought, it's illegal, he's pretty sure that would be illegal. He feels his pulse in his head as his thoughts whirl.

He starts typing an apology, backspaces, thinks for a moment. Starts with a begging apology instead, then as he wonders what else he could say to save his dignity. Maybe call? No that would be worse. Just as he begins to really panic his phone vibrates again.

[Selfie for selfie?]

Raleigh stares at the screen, utterly and hopelessly confused. But undeniably intrigued.

Then the phone vibrates again.

Then the picture appears on his screen.

His brain short circuits again.

She is really, really, really attractive. Is all he can think for about thirty seconds. Then his brain latches onto the fact that he got a selfie sent back by a really hot girl and he should probably respond.

Unfortunately he has lost all grasp of human language.

She's seriously really attractive.

And he just sent a very compromising picture to a complete stranger. A stranger who is female. A female stranger who just responded with a selfie of her own.

And has he mentioned that she's really attractive?

Her hair is short, touching her jaw, and he can see that the locks of hair that frame her face are dyed blue. He likes blue, Raleigh suddenly decides. Especially that shade.

Coy and appraising. Sharp. Maybe a little playful. She's grinning and there is amusement in her brown eyes.

Definitely judging him, and that she has judged him worthy of the sight of her picture has Raleigh very grateful.

Also that he hasn't offended a random person is a monumental relief, that the person he did send the picture to is a very attractive woman who looks to be around his age….well, he hasn't decided how to feel about that yet.

[Im srry for] he backspaces, feeling as if this mystery woman would be the type to use proper English even while texting unless with a friend. And maybe he just wanted to make a good impression [I'm sorry for the confusion. I have no idea how I got your number, I'm Raleigh Becket] he finally types. He thinks of mentioning how pretty she is, but decides against it.

Then he waits.

[Hello Mr. Becket,] Formal, she even uses punctuation, Raleigh notes. He allows himself a moment of self-congratulations for having guessed her propriety with text language. [I'm Mako Mori. You are forgiven, you are hardly an unwelcome sight] he can't help the blush the creeps up his neck and cheeks even as relief floods through him.

[Thanks] He types back , feeling awkward. Then he gathers up some courage [I think you're pretty attractive too] Actually he thinks she's a lot more than just 'pretty attractive' but…baby steps.

[I never said I found you attractive, Mr. Becket, only that it wasn't unwelcome] he has a mini-heart attack, thinking of a thousand ways to back track with a person he's never met, but then his phone buzzes again. [Jk. You should be proud of your body ;P]

God, he thinks, sagging in relief, sinking into the couch cushion.

Then it hits him what she said, another compliment on his looks. He's pleased, very much so, but also he can't help but feel exposed. Which he was. He had sent her a picture from the bath, for christ's sake. And the attention wasn't unwelcome. In fact this exchange has been doing wonders for his ego, even as it wrings out his nerves.

He then spends a few seconds too long contemplating the winking emoticon. She's messing with him. He doesn't even know this woman and she's already trying to kill him. He tells her as much. [You're going to give me a heart attack, Miss Mori] After a moment he adds a [D':]

[Says the man who sent me a selfie from a bathtub] Raleigh grins at the message, he could admit to asking for that one

[Point] he sends back. He can't help but imagine her being flustered by his picture like he was with hers. He hopes she was, though that may have been his ego talking.

[Do you usually take bubble baths?] Mako responds, Raleigh's cheeks feel warm with a blush.

[No]He types. [I…] and then he stops. Realizing something. His brain, for a moment, forgetting about Mako.

"That fucking _asshole_" He says in utter disbelief, remembering a certain bow tie wearing _fiend _borrowing his phone. He had claimed that his battery had died and he 'just had' to call someone.

He looks back to this phone and types furiously [No I lost a bet, take a bubble bath and send a pic…do you know Tendo?] He sends the text, and wait anxiously for a response, the phone vibrates and he quickly reads over the message

[Tendo Choi?] he reads. [Yes, I do. Is he a friend of yours?]

Not anymore Raleigh thinks bitterly, planning the ultimate revenge on his so called friend. [Yes] he replies. [The picture was meant to go to him so he could blackmail me or something. I bet he changed his # to yours on my cell] Mentally he happily notes that if they both know Tendo then he and Mako must be in the same area. Maybe they're even going to the same school.

[That would explain the confusion] Comes the reply. [Are you close with Tendo? He and I are friends but not to this extent] Not close enough that she thinks Tendo would prank her like this, she means.

[Tendo wouldn't do this unless he knew you would be ok with it or laugh at me] Raleigh types back. [and if he doesn't know u that well then someone else had to be in on this] In his haste he forgets to spell out the entirety of 'you' but he doesn't care.

He anxiously waits for a response, the pause between the sent message and a reply being the longest in the entire exchange. He bounces his leg up and down, feeling curious and anxious. When his cell finally vibrates within his anxious hand he scrambles to read it.

[…I think I have an idea of who would do this]

His eyebrows come together. She does? It must have been obvious. Maybe she lost a bet too or something. He sends a simple [?] in question.

The phone vibrates again.

"Chuck?" Raleigh reads aloud. "Chuck fucking Hansen? I'm gonna murder him" Disbelief and annoyance rushes through his veins.

[Youre friends with Chuck!?] Raleigh asks, feeling a bit disappointed and betrayed. He deletes the exclamation point, knowing he really had no right to feel that way. He's frowning anyways.

[Childhood friends] comes the reply. Raleigh, perhaps unfairly, pouts at this fact. Another message soon follows. [I'm assuming you know him?]

[Vaguely. We don't get along] He answers. Chuck's scowling face appears in his mind's eye. He and Chuck just rub each other the wrong way for some reason, not that they've tried working it out or anything.

[I know he can be a dick sometimes] Mako replies, Raleigh can almost imagine the exasperated sentiment with the message. Raleigh shouldn't feel as vindictively smug as he does but he can't help the smirk that tugs at his mouth. Chuck was indeed a dick in his book, and a lot more often than just 'sometimes.'

[Yeah, so can Tendo, apparently. If they schemed this together, we should get them back] He texts back, already trying to think of how to do so. If he could, Raleigh would just buy out the area's entire bagel and coffee supply and leave Tendo to suffer, but that seemed a tad unrealistic.

[We think alike, Mr. Becket] He grins at his phone. [We should meet to make our plans.] Raleigh's heart rate jumps at the thought.

He checks the time, it's a few minutes after five, and hey it's Friday night so he figures it's a good a time as ever. [How does Pan-Pacific Café sound? 7PM?] Raleigh texts back. He tells himself that his hands are not shaking with excitement.

[It's a date] Raleigh's heart stops then starts again at a rapid pace, he grins, much too happy to have set up a date with an absolute stranger. Then forcefully reminds himself that it is very much a figure of speech and 'date' doesn't necessarily mean a_ date_ date. Raleigh also reminds himself that he really shouldn't be so disappointed by that fact, because they were just strangers who were planning to get revenge on some mutual friends.

His cell begins to ring, the caller ID says "Tendo" but he knows it's Mako. With some trepidation and a lot of excitement he answers.

"Hello?" He hopes he doesn't sound as nervous as he feels.

"Hello" An accented voice answers, if he had to hazard a guess he would say Japanese. She sounds amused, and her voice is just as alluring as the rest of her. "Mister Becket ?"

"Yes, Miss Mori?" He can feel himself blushing. He hasn't even met her in person yet.

"I imagined you would sound different" Her tone is so absolutely neutral and polite, with just the right hint of teasing, that he can't tell what the statement means. So he asks.

"Better or worse?"

She doesn't answer the question, but he forgets about it as she speaks.

"Just to remind you that while the sight of you without clothing is not…_unwelcome_" He almost shivers at the way she says the word, whether from nerves or something else or both he doesn't know. "I suggest you wear clothes to our rendezvous" How she can sound so conscientious and precise while saying such suggestive things in beyond him, but it's undeniably attractive.

She's teasing him. He thinks. She's teasing him and he kind of loves it. "Sure" He says, confidence a little bolstered by her own boldness. He grins "Though I'm not so sure that's what you really want"

There's silence on the other end, though he feels it's contemplative instead of stunned. "Perhaps" She says cryptically. "But business first, Mr. Becket. Revenge on our dear Chuck and Tendo"

"Priorities" Raleigh agrees with a grin. "And you can call me Raleigh, you know" He adds.

"Then you may call me Mako" She responds primly, he imagines that she's smiling on the other end of the line.

"See you soon, Mako"

"Soon, Raleigh"

Raleigh finds that he really likes the way she says his name.

It's with a gentle smile that Raleigh changes the contact in his phone from "Tendo" to "Mako"

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><p>I found it interesting to write communication through text message from only Raleigh's perspective. I never thought I would use text language or emoticons in a fic. And I minimized the use here, for a few reasons, some valid, but mostly because I didn't want to have text slang so prevalent in a fic.<p>

This is my first official debut with Pacific Rim fanfiction, I'm super unsure about it all, since Pacific Rim is awesome and the fanfic writers are pretty awesome to say the least. And this is also my first AU debut with any fandom, which was an interesting challenge characterization wise. Also my first debut with anything resembling romance or romantic interest...

Lots of firsts, why did I do this to myself I don't know, but here is the product.

I just rated it T for the curses, I wasn't exactly sure.

Thanks for reading.


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